Skandagiri – historical and adventurous

If you have been ruing your job, the daily deadlines, and the endless grind, there are places around Bangalore which can give you a good respite. One of these places is Skandagiri, located about 60 km from Bangalore, and a perfect destination for one day outing.

It is beautiful, and adventurous too

Skandgiri, situated 3 km from Chikballapur village, is a scenic weekend getaway that also serves as an adventure weekend getaway. It is a hill with the ruins of a fort which dates back to the 18th century. The fort is in a dilapidated condition, and so is the temple situated close to it, but that takes nothing away from the trek to the top of the mountain.

How to reach Skandagiri

Skandagir is located close to Bangalore. You can take a trip to Skandagiri and back within a day and a half, including the trek to the top. There are regular buses that play from Bangalore to Skandagiri. In order to reach Skandagiri, you need to take a bus from Bangalore and get down at Chikballapur.

From Chikballapur, there are two ways to reach the base of Skandagiri hill. You can either take an auto, which takes about 15 minutes, or you could walk to the base. A walk to the base takes about an hour, but you also get the opportunity to explore the rural lifestyle and the scenic views on the way.

The trek to the top

The trek to the top of Skandagiri is on the easier side, with a well marked out route. The early part of the trek is pretty dry in terms of vegetation. However, as you start getting close to the top of the hill, you start to see lush vegetation. The top of the hill offers panoramic views of the valley below.

Standing there, on top of the hill, you almost feel like a ruler yourself, with an eye on your kingdom. Although the fort is in a very bad condition, do take a walk around it to enjoy the mysticism surrounding it.

There is a pool of water too at the top of the hill. However, there is hardly any water in the pool now since it has been used as a dustbin by careless trekkers.

There is even a night trek in the offing

Skandagiri hill is one of the few trekking routes around Bangalore where a night trek is possible. The trek to the top of the hill takes about 2 hours, which means if you start at midnight, you should reach the top by 2:00 am and spend a little time camping at the top before the break of dawn.

The best time for the trek

While a trek to the top of Skandagiri is always a great experience, the best time to do it would be in the winter months. During the winter months, the top of the hill is often enclosed in a blanket of mist, making it a really romantic experience.